The President by Shiloh2010
by Straight thru the Heart Fics
Summary: "Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies." - Aristotle. Bella Swan never believed in love at first sight. After a surprising encounter with the new university president, results in an undeniable attraction that will change her life forever. Entry for the Straight Thru the Heart Contest


**Entry for the** _ **Straight Thru the Heart Contest**_

 **Title:** The President

 **Summary:** "Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies." - Aristotle. Bella Swan never believed in love at first sight. After a surprising encounter with the new university president, results in an undeniable attraction that will change her life forever.

 **Pairing:** Edward/ Bella

 **Rating:** M

 **Word count:** 4,440

 **Disclaimer:** The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. No copyright infringement is intended.

Bella kept reminding herself to breathe.

 _He_ was there. She focused on the back of his head from her spot in the back row. She barely heard a word the actors spoke. The music from the orchestra was merely background noise.

She was blind to everything but him from the moment he took over her thoughts. He was everywhere. He'd starred in her dreams every night for the past several weeks.

She wished she understood what it was about him that made her react this way. Something about him drew her in. He had an inexplicable hold on her

She craned her neck trying to get a better look. She needed to see his face again. The need was so great it pained her.

"Did you get the email?" Jasper Whitlock from Alumni Relations nudged her side with his elbow as he sat down beside her, breaking her train of thought. Jasper had been a close friend ever since she started her position as an admissions counselor.

"Ouch," she complained, rubbing the spot. "What email?"

"Meet and greet," he said. "With the new university president." He gestured to the front row. Bella's heart hammered in her chest. Did he notice her staring at _him_? "Everyone's invited, but sometimes Shelley slacks on the emails. I'm surprised to see him here. The old guy would never."

"Oh, I think I did get that email," she said weakly. She was starting to feel dizzy with desire at the thought of seeing him again. "Are you going over there after? I'll ride with you. My car is still in the shop."

"You okay?" he asked worriedly. "You look a little..."

"I'm fine." Her voice sounded shaky even to her own ears. He must have noticed her flushed face. "I skipped breakfast this morning," she lied. "I'm just hungry."

The audience stood up to applaud the orchestra's opening song, and they followed suit.

"Okay." He didn't buy her lie. "Maybe you should sit down," he suggested, rubbing her back comfortingly. His touch could not have been more unwanted in that moment. The only hands she wanted on her belonged to a man that was probably only half aware of her existence.

Bella spent the car ride to the president's house in a state of high anticipation. The thought of seeing him face to face again thrilled her.

Bella and Jasper walked briskly across the lawn in the light rain once Jasper parked his car. It took Bella a moment to catch her breath. To Jasper, it would seem like fatigue from the short run, but she knew the real reason and felt a slight rush of guilt for it, considering the people who were on the other side of the door.

Bella watched as he brought his hand up to knock on the door, her heart thumping in anticipation of seeing _him_ again. It seemed like everything was happening in slow motion. She heard the voices from inside the house. She wished she had a simple crush, but it felt like so much more, and it scared her.

Time seemed to stop altogether. Her knees grew weak, and she nearly fell over when the door swung open to reveal _him_.

"Thanks for coming." He briefly met Jasper's eyes before his jade eyes fell on her, staring a beat too long. His expression was indiscernible. "Come on in. Rose, Elise, and Cian are in the dining room with the others."

Her eyes zeroed in on the solid gold band on his left ring finger.

"Hi, Dr. Cullen," she said softly.

"Thanks for having us," Jasper said, removing his coat. Bella followed as if on autopilot. She averted her gaze from Dr. Cullen, fearing she would suffer heart failure or spontaneous combustion if she looked directly at him.

"Happy to," he said with a smile. His eyes were still on Bella. "I'm glad you came."

The doorbell rang again, and Bella reluctantly followed Jasper away from the man who was the center of all of Bella's thoughts and desires.

A stunning blonde-haired woman stood at the center of the large, decadent dining room, chatting gregariously with a group of people that included faculty and some students. "It's all happening so fast," she gushed, gazing down at the baby boy in her arms who looked to be about a year old. "I swear just the other day I was holding him in my arms as he screamed bloody murder."

A little curly-haired girl, who seemed to be around five years of age, stood silently next to the woman, looking on at the gushing adults. Bella assumed this was the Elise Dr. Cullen had spoken of.

"This one?" Professor Gerandy laughed rambunctiously as he pointed at the little boy in her arms. "The sweetest thing I have ever met. Right along with his darling sister."

"He is _now_ , but don't let that innocent face fool you." Her pale blue eyes lit up happily.

"He looks just like Edward," Professor Gerandy said.

The little boy giggled, letting out a toothy grin that made the room fill with "aww"s. Rose pressed her lips to his forehead.

He was truly his father's clone.

"He certainly does." Edward said as he reentered the room, standing next to his wife. He leaned down, scooping Elise, the little girl, into his arms.

She felt the guilt creep up again, even though she wished it did not. She hadn't done anything _wrong_ , per se. Just lusting after a man who was married with a baby.

He and Rose were certainly a stunning pair. However, she couldn't help but notice that something about them was not couple-like. There was a distance. Their relationship seemed friendly at best.

Bella shook away her thoughts of the marriage. She may have been imagining things to ease any feelings of guilt. It hurt her to look at them. She wished his wife away. She wanted her to disappear. The jealousy would not disappear, though She wanted what Rose had.

She looked up to find Dr. Edward Cullen staring at her again. She could literally feel his gaze as if it was a tangible thing. He stood next to his wife, but his green eyes were boring into her own. Bella's eyes locked with his, and she felt like she was burning on the spot. He looked as if he wanted to devour her. She couldn't help but smile bashfully, unable to look away.

Bella was a goner from the first time she laid eyes on Dr. Edward Cullen. When he walked into the meeting room with his future colleagues for the first time a few weeks before, she knew it. It seemed as if his eyes met hers as soon as he entered the room. Like today, she felt him before she saw him. It was as if he was calling to her. Like their souls had already met.

The attraction was there, and it was instant.

There was no hope for her after that.

Her attendance at the meeting happened by pure chance. Her boss, the admissions director, had an emergency, and she went to the meeting in his place along with the provost, the deans, department heads, and a select few students.

She remembered sitting next to the dean of student life as he chattered on about the hectic process of selecting a new university president. Usually, it would be a job that would go to the provost, but that would not be the case this time.

"Dr. Edward Cullen seems like a very nice man," the dean had informed her. "He was chancellor of his old university. The board made the right decision. I think he will be an excellent replacement for Dr. Greene."

At the time, Bella was less than interested in who the new president would be. She wanted nothing more than to be at home, curled up with a good book. The search had been going on for months, so it was a hot topic at the small liberal arts university.

She had drowned out the dean, focusing on the papers in front of her that described the man they were about to meet. His qualifications were impressive, and she wondered why he was leaving such a big city for a town as small as this one. Sure, the pay was more than impressive, but he seemed so well traveled and someone with an affinity for big cities.

There was a lull in the conversation around her, and Bella had noticed the dean had stopped speaking.

She'd looked up, expecting to see the prospective president, and let out a gasp.

Everything around her seemed to stop at that moment.

Her eyes were locked with a pair of jade irises, and she was unable to move. Unable to breathe.

It was like she was seeing for the first time.

She had always heard the saying that the eyes were the windows to the soul, and in that moment, she finally understood what that meant. He captivated her, and she wanted to know everything about him. Yet she had a strange feeling that she already did.

Bella stood impatiently in line at Starbucks. She needed her daily dose of caffeine, and the student in front of her was taking his precious time to order. She checked the time on her phone. She had an hour before her meeting with the director of admissions.

"Can I please have a grande light sugar-free vanilla soy chai latte?" she asked after the indecisive boy finally placed his order. "A cheese danish as well."

"Miss Swan?" Standing behind her was none other than Edward Cullen. In the short few weeks since he had been president, he seemed to be everywhere she went on the small campus.

"Dr. Cullen." Her heart sped up. "How's your first week going?"

He chuckled nervously. "It's more difficult than I imagined. I've had more meetings than I have ever thought possible."

"You'll get used to it. I'm sure you're going to be an excellent president."

"Thank you." They stared at each other for a while, not saying anything. Edward broke the silence. "Well, I should be going. Meetings."

A feeling of sadness crept up on her. She wished she could get closer to him. He always seemed too far, but she knew it was not her place to wish for such things. "Good luck, sir."

"Thanks," he said, turning to walk away. Then he paused, spinning back around on his heel to face her. "Hey, would you like to get… coffee sometime?" His voice wavered.

She had to work hard to refrain from screaming _yes_ and jumping on him. _He's married,_ she reminded herself. His offer may be completely innocent. Although she wished it weren't. She looked down at the coffee in his hands. "Well, we're both at Starbucks, but sure."

"I have a meeting now," he repeated, glancing at his watch. "We can grab dinner later if you're free. I hear Angelini's is a great restaurant in the area."

Bella had been there a few times. It was where everyone in the small college town went out to eat—a good date restaurant.

"I'd love to."

He looked like he was about to say something else but decided against it.

It felt like a date.

Edward leaned forward, gazing into her eyes. "How is life as an admissions counselor?"

There seemed to be more to his question. She was surprised he remembered what she did. "I like it." She took a sip of her water, feeling giddy inside. "I get to travel a lot."

"That must be nice. It's an excellent perk for any job."

"It is," she affirmed. "I love traveling. It brings back memories of trips with my family as a child. My parents were the adventurous type. They always wanted to experience new places."

"Are you ready to order?" Bella looked up to find a peppy college-aged girl standing over them.

"Yes."

"Oh my God," the girl said, as recognition crossed her face. "You're President Cullen, right?"

"Yes, I am."

"Congratulations," she said. "I'm sure you'll do great. I'm Alex. I'm a student at the university. I was actually at the meet and greet at your house."

"Wonderful! I think I remember seeing you." He shot her his charming smile and she blushed in response. "What major?"

"Biology." Bella watched as he interacted with the girl. He seemed genuinely interested in the conversation. His charm would work very well in his profession. He had a way of making people feel at ease.

"You look sensational, by the way," he said after their waitress left.

Bella's cheeks heated. "Thank you." His compliment felt like the world. She was usually indifferent to such things. She never wanted to please and be wanted by somebody so much in her entire life.

His phone buzzed.

He glanced at it quickly before pocketing it. "It's Rose," he explained. "Cian is asleep. She likes to keep me updated."

She could hear the fondness in his voice as he spoke of his son. It warmed her heart, but at the same time, she felt the jealousy creep in again. "That's very sweet."

"Yeah, she's really attached lately." He chuckled. "She's heading to London next week. She wants to spend as much time with the kids as she can." He pulled out his phone, turning it towards her, and she noticed he wasn't wearing a ring. "See?"

On the screen was the adorable bronze-haired little boy snuggled with a teddy bear, fast asleep. "He's so cute and he really does look a lot like you."

He hummed in agreement. "He's wonderful. You'd like him. Elise too."

Bella didn't know how to verbalize a response. She was certain she would like the boy. He was a part of Edward, and she couldn't imagine not loving any part of him. She started thinking about what babies with Edward would look like, and it scared her, not because he was married, but because children wasn't a subject that often crossed her mind. She never saw herself with them.

What was he doing to her?

"So, you like traveling. I was quite the traveler myself. I've lived many places abroad."

"Really? Where?"

"Quite a few places. Venezuela, Austria, Algeria, South Korea and Switzerland to be exact. I was the son of a diplomat so my family travelled a lot. We moved every two or three years. It was an unstable upbringing, but it had its perks."

"Having lasting friendships must have been hard."

"It was," he affirmed. "I made a lot of new friends, but then I had to leave after a couple of years. It was nice having friends from all over the world, though. I still keep in contact with some."

The more Bella spoke to him, the more enamored she became. She knew she was starting to develop an unhealthy obsession with him. He was probably one of the most interesting people she ever met. He was knowledgeable in so many areas.

He shared her love of books and travel, and they both had eclectic musical tastes. He was very passionate about education, which was appropriate considering his new position. He also had an incredible sense of humor.

She noticed he did not speak about his wife in great detail.

When the check arrived, Edward paid for it despite Bella's protests. He reminded her that he was the one who'd asked her out. She felt as if she would melt when she heard the firmness in his voice. Her body reacted in interesting ways.

"Thanks for dinner." They arrived at Edward's black Mercedes.

They looked at each other for what seemed like an eternity, but was really a few long seconds. She fought the urge to lean forward and kiss him.

Suddenly, Edward's lips were crashing against hers. Soft and powerful. His lips were unwavering. His hand came up, cupping her neck.

Bella had been kissed a fair amount of times in her twenty-six years, but this was like nothing she had ever felt before.

She could hardly breathe.

A euphoric frenzy rushed through her. She pressed herself against him, wanting to be closer as if she wanted them to melt into one being. She felt his arousal, and a shiver ran through her bones.

He pushed her backward, pressing her against his car. Between her growing desperation and clouded mind, she managed to think of the one thing that would eventually keep them apart.

"You're married," she breathed, forcing herself to pull away. Her voice sounded weak to her own ears.

"What?"

She took a step back, trying to clear her clouded mind. She wanted nothing more than to continue kissing him, and it pained her to step away. "You are married, and you have a young son and daughter." She may have been jealous of his wife, but she could attempt to retain some semblance of restraint.

The look on his face was a mixture of shock and pain. "Bella I—"

"I can't… I can't do that. It's not right. I want to, though," she whispered weakly. "So badly."

He leaned back against the car, shutting his eyes and taking a deep breath. "You've got it all wrong."

"I ca—"

"I'm _not_ married."

Now she was the shocked one. "But Rosalie—"

"Is my sister-in-law."

Bella's knees were weak. "You're not married," she said shakily, letting out a nervous, frenzied laugh. "I'm such an idiot."

"It's okay. It's a simple misunderstanding."

It was too good to be true. "What about the ring?"

"Ring?"

"Yeah," she said, gesturing toward his hand. "You were wearing a wedding band at the meet and greet."

"You noticed that?" He chuckled, shaking his head. "I…" He appeared to be carefully choosing his words. "I _was_ married. Until thirteen months ago."

 _Thirteen months._

Edward's son was about thirteen months old. "I'm sorry." Her heart ached for him.

"No, I'm sorry."

Bella's heart dropped.

"I shouldn't have come on to you like that. That wasn't appropriate of me. I don't do things like that."

"No I was just—"

"I'll take you home," he said. "Or I can wait with you if you'd rather call a ride. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"I'm not uncomfortable. I don't think I ever truly was." She wanted him to be inappropriate with her again.

The ride to her house was a quiet one, but there was sexual tension in the air.

She looked up at him from under her lashes once they were in front of her small house. "Would you like to come inside?"

"Definitely."

He stood closely behind her as she unlocked her front door. She could feel the heat of his body behind her and his warm breath on her neck. It was like he was trying to make her lose her mind.

Bella dropped her purse on the couch as they entered the living room. The nerves got the better of her, and she started rambling. "Can I get you anything to drink? Tea? Water? Wi—"

Edward silenced her with his lips. She took that as a no to the drink.

Bella felt unusually bold. It was as if she was intoxicated by his presence. It helped that Edward Cullen had a definite interest in her. The man who invaded her dreams and who she wanted more than anything was now within her reach. There was nothing like requited love. Her dreams were coming true.

Their eyes met. He had the longest eyelashes she had ever seen on a man. She always thought of him as handsome, but there in her dimly lit living room, she realized he was much more than that.

She pushed him toward the couch until he was seated, climbing into his lap and straddling his thighs. He grabbed her chin, locking his lips with hers, and she let out a loud moan as he ground his hips upward.

"You're beautiful," she whispered against his lips. Her words were muffled.

"Not as beautiful as you." Edward pulled away, reaching up and caressing her cheek. "From the very first time I set eyes on you, I knew," he murmured. "It was like I was hit with Cupid's arrow. I know you feel the same."

She whimpered, bringing her mouth to his again. It was all too much. It felt like a dream. She sincerely hoped it was not a dream. She might not have been able to keep her sanity if it was.

Edward lifted her hair, flipping it over her shoulder to expose her neck. He slowly kissed along the length of her shoulder, moving upward until his lips were behind her ear.

He was driving her insane.

He tilted her chin upward with the tip of his finger until she was looking into his eyes. They stared at each other for a long time, and she felt it. A sense of fullness overtook her. It was scary and thrilling at the same time. She bit her lip to keep herself from crying out from the painfulness of the need she had for him.

Was it love? Was it lust?

The feelings she felt were too intense for it to be lust. It was more. She felt like she would lose her mind if she didn't get closer to him. She was seated in his lap, grinding against his hardness, yet she was not close enough. She _needed_ to be closer.

It scared her.

She wanted to cry. Bella thrust herself forward, attacking his lips again. She traced his bottom lip with her tongue as she attacked his bronze hair with her hands. Their tongues twisted together in frantic urgency, and his hands slowly moved up her thighs.

Her skirt had ridden up quite a bit from their activities.

She pulled back to suck in a much needed breath, panting hard and heavy. "I need…" She tried to speak, but her hazy mind could barely form thoughts. She couldn't form the words, but he understood.

He nimbly unbuttoned her blouse, roughly pulling it off and throwing it aside. "You're beautiful," he said huskily as he unclasped her bra, letting it fall between them.

For a moment, he just stared. She felt her skin heating up. She wanted to cover herself, but he held both her hands in a vise grip.

He swiftly stood up with Bella in his arms, and her legs wrapped around his waist with her naked chest pressed against his clothed one.

"Down the hall, to the left," she breathed before connecting her lips to his neck. She would kiss him forever if she could.

Once in her bedroom, Edward dropped her on the bed, unbuttoning his shirt and crawling toward her. His eyes were dark. "You are perfect." He threw his shirt aside.

He covered her body with his, forcefully digging his fingers into her hips as their lips reconnected. She wrapped her legs around his waist, feeling his growing arousal. He slowly dragged his fingers up her sides, over her ribcage and to her breasts. He cupped them in his hands, lightly flicking her nipples with his thumbs. They stood firmly in response to his touch.

He leaned down, sucking a pebbled nipple into his mouth. He released it with a loud pop, moving on to the other. His touch grew rough, and his kisses were filled with desperation. She knew he wanted her as much as she wanted him.

Edward roughly pulled down her skirt. He seemed to be filled with impatience and primal need. Her back arched, and she felt the evidence of her arousal between her thighs. An involuntary whimper escaped her lips.

She was desperate for him.

He lowered his hips between her parted legs, gripping his cock and guiding it between her legs. He slowly pushed inside her, and she felt as if she could barely breathe.

He gripped her hips, thrusting into her. Her back arched upward from the mattress, and her toes curled in utter bliss as she took in the full length of him. He was fully sheathed inside of her, and it felt like she was having the life sucked out of her.

They seemed to be connected forever, but she never wanted to separate. She wanted to remain beneath him, with him inside her forever.

Never separating.

Never being apart.

With every thrust, she let out short, desperate gasps. She clutched onto him, nails digging into his biceps, allowing the pleasure to overtake every part of her. She shut her eyes tightly as she cried out into the darkness, clenching around him.

"Perfect," he panted against her neck.

She felt him throbbing as a strained groan emanated from his chest as he emptied himself inside of her.

"I've never done this before," she said breathlessly. One-night stands were definitely not her thing. In fact, she once frowned upon them. "We haven't even been on a date."

"This is not a one-time thing," he said firmly.

"I know."

"And who said tonight wasn't a date?" He moved off of her, lying back on the bed next to her, breathing heavily.

"Edward?"

"Yeah?"

She couldn't bear the thought of ever being away from him. Her need was so great she thought she would burst into tears.

"Stay with me." There was more to her words than seeking a promise of spending the night.

"I'm not going anywhere." He understood her meaning.

"I think I'm in love with you," she whispered, staring at the ceiling. It felt freeing to say it. She felt as if the words would kill her if she didn't let them be known. A tear slipped from the corner of her eye.

He propped himself up on his elbow. "I'm going to marry you."

Her face lit up as her heart filled with happiness at his words. They were on the same wavelength. Even though she had just met him, she felt as if she had known him forever.

"I am going to marry you," he repeated. "You're going to be my wife and the mother of my children one day. There is no doubt in my mind about that. I want to be tied to you in every possible way."

"I want that more than anything. I have wanted it from the moment we met."

Before Edward walked into that conference room, Bella had no interest in marriage, dating, or even flirting. She did not stand a chance because her heart had already chosen Edward. Now that she had gotten a taste, there was no way she could stay away.

Her life was about to change forever.

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